1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a local body fat measurement device and a method of operating the same, and more particularly, to a local body fat measurement device and the method of operating the same, which measures an amount of body fat of an anatomical area that a user wants to measure, and displays a graphical image displaying a thickness of body fat of the anatomical area so that the user may recognize a degree of the user's obesity with respect to the user's particular anatomical area so as to increase an effect of a diet.
2. Description of Related Art
Ubiquitous technology represents an information-communication environment where a user may freely access a network regardless of location without considering the network and a computer. When Ubiquitous technology becomes commercialized, people may freely use information technology (IT) in a myriad of diverse locations, such as at home, in a car, as well as at a top of a mountain. Also, commercialization of Ubiquitous technology may increase a number of computer users accessing the network, and expand the IT industry according to the increase. Due to portability, convenience and the utility that such access to networks provides regardless of time and location, competition to develop Ubiquitous technology is currently fierce around the world.
Ubiquitous-related technology may be applied to many areas of a human life. Ubiquitous-HealthCare (hereinafter, U-HealthCare) has recently been in the spotlight as a notable technology area due to the ‘well-being’ boom. U-HealthCare means Ubiquitous technology which enables anyone to readily receive medical services at any time and at any place by installing medical service-related chips or sensors in places of the user's living space. With U-HealthCare, various types of medical attention, such as physical examinations, disease management, emergency care, consultation with a doctor and the like, which currently are only performed in hospitals, may be naturally integrated into our daily lives, thus may be accomplished without going to a hospital.
Currently, people who are obese or are overweight due to advancement in their standard of living and lack of exercise due to the same is increasing. Obesity and being overweight may cause many kinds of adult diseases, and many kinds of discrimination in social life may occur due to these conditions. Accordingly, people are highly interested in a diet, and treatment and prevention of these conditions, thereby rapidly expanding a scale of industries associated with the obesity. One of the main indicators indicating a degree of obesity or of being overweight is body fat representing an amount of a fat in a human body. One may recognize a degree of his or her obesity by measuring a body fat thickness of his or her own and may go on a diet.
Currently, portable body fat measurement devices are in the spotlight as a part of U-HealthCare due to a ‘diet’ boom. In the past, the body fat thickness was measured only in hospitals or various kinds of clinics. However, currently, the body fat thickness may be measured at any time and at any place through portable body fat measurement devices. Accordingly, a more effective diet becomes possible.
Lots of people today are obese or overweight. Particularly, students and office workers, as well others with sedentary professions, are generally susceptible to these conditions because of a high proportion of caloric intake compared to caloric expenditure through exercise. Accordingly, students and office workers are susceptible to a localized obesity, particularly, an abdominal obesity due. However, a conventional portable body fat measurement device mostly provides a function of measuring the amount of body fat of a body. Accordingly, when only a particular anatomical area such as an abdomen is obese and other anatomical areas are normal, the user may not precisely measure and recognize the degree of his or her abdominal obesity.
Specifically, to respectively measure the body fat with respect to an anatomical area, and to effectively cope with the local obesity for with the conventional portable body fat measurement device are impossible. Accordingly, a development of a local body fat measurement device which respectively measures the body fat with respect to the anatomical area, and provides anatomical area image visually displaying the body fat thickness of the measured anatomical area is required, so that the user may recognize a degree of his or her obesity with respect to the predetermined anatomical area more clearly, and an effect of a diet is increased.